Fastening-inserting machine



F. RICKS AND A. A; ASTON.

FASTENING INSERTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYH. I920.

1,407,000; Fatented Feb. 21, 1922;

unirso STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED KICKS AND ALBERT AMOS ASTON, 0F LEICESTER, ENG-LAND, ASSIGNORS ToUNITED SHOE MACHINERY CUR PORATION, 0F PATERSON, NEW JERS A CORJPORATIONOF NEW" JERSEYw Fi'XSTENING-INSER-TING MACHINE.

Application filed May 17,-

To all whom itmag concern:

Be it knownthat we, FRED limits and ALBERT A. AsroN, subjects of theKing of England, residing at Leicester, Leicestershire, England, have.invented certain Improvements in F astening-Inserting Machines, of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings,is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicatinglike parts in the several figures. V

This invention relates to fastening inserting machines, particularly tomachines which comprise cutting mechanism for severing individualfastenings from fastening stock, and to the setting and adjustment ofthe severing means thereof. The invention will be herein described,byway of example, in its relation to the setting of the cutters of amachine for inserting screwthreaded fastenings formed fromwire', machines of this type being shown in Letters Patent No. 490,621, grantedJanuary 24,

1893 on application of Louis Goddu and No. 691,354, granted January 21,1902 on application of Louis A. Casgrain.

Heretofore in replacing worn or broken cutters in machines of the typeshown in the above-mentioned patents, the adjustment of the cutters intheir holders in such a manner as to ensure the proper severance of thewire without harmful contact of the cutting edges has been an operationrequiring the exercise of considerable care and skill on the part of theoperator and involving an appreciable amount of time for itsaccomplishment. Moreover, inasmuch as the adjustment of the cuttersdepended upon the judgment of the operator; the ad justnient was oftennot accurately effected, in consequence of which the cutters might beinjured or broken upon subsequent operation of the machine.

Qbjects of the invention are to facilitate the setting of the cuttingdevices of such machines in a manner which will enable them to be setquickly and which will eliminate the necessity for the exercise ofjudgment on the, part of the operator, thus in- Specification ofIletters Patent. Pat t d 21 1q22 1920. Serial No. 381,894.

with fastening inserting mechanism comprising automatically-operatedelements movable relatively to each other to permit stock to beintroduced between thein and to sever the stock of operator-controlledmechanism arranged to locate the elements while the machine is at restin the relative positions occupied by them at the completion of acutting operation. Preferably, the operator-controlled mechanism is soconstructed as to move the elements invariably through the same distanceand to the same pos tions whenever it is actuated by the op-' erator andto maintain the elements in such positions until it is againrenderedinoperative. In the illustrated construction, the operatingmeans for the elementsincludes a rotary actuator having projections foractuating them and the operator-controlled' mechanism comprises a membercarried by a part of the operating means and arranged I to effectrelative movement of the elements by engagement with the actuator.

t further feature of the invention perta ns to the combination withcutting mechanism comprising elements operated by means so constructedas to spring in the performance of a cutting operation of mechanismfor-moving said elements to facilitate the setting of thecuttingflevices constructed to compensate for the spring oi": theoperating means.

The invention also compris a method of setting or adjusting the cuttersof fastening cutting and inserting machines which comprises bringing ainto position be tweenparts of the cutter operating mecha-. nism so asto bring the cutter holders into the position which they should occupyat the conclusion of each cutting operation, and securing the cutters tothe cutter holders while the latter are in that position.

Although the invention is herein described in its relation to a machinefor in sorting fastenings it is recognized that the invention as a wholeand various features. thereof may be employed in connection withmachines other than fastening insertingmachines. It is intended,therefore5 that the'scope of the invention shall not be limited exceptas required by the claims.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent as thedescription proceeds and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a fastening insertingmachine embodying the invention, looking from the rear of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the'cutter holders mounted on the frontof the machine;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the operating connections forthe cutter holders;

Fig. l is a view on an enlarged scale of the means for facilitating thesetting of the cutters inthe cutter holders; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the parts, looking from theright in Fig. 4, and partly in cross-section.

The illustrated machine comprises a head 2 in the front of which ismounted a stud shaft 4 on which are pivoted cutter holders (5 and '8.The cutter holders 6 and 8 are split at their lower sides to receivecutters l0 and 12. respectively, which are secured in adjusted positionin the holders by screws 14.. The cutter holders 6 and 8 are providedwith rack teeth adapted for engagement with teeth 16 and 18,respectively, on a gear 20. A spring 22. interposed between the cutterholder 6 and a screw plug .Zet seated in the cutter holder 8, tendsnormally to press them apart and serves to take up any backlash in theoperating connections for the cutter holders.

The gear 20 is mounted on a shaft 2-6 rotatable in the head 2 of themachine. An arm 28, forming part of a split casting clamped on the shaft2-6 by screws 30, is connected to one end of a link 32, the other end ofwhich is joined to a lever 34: fulcruined on a shaft 36 on the head 2.At its rear end, the lever is provided with an upstanding finger 3Snormally interposed in the path of movement of toes l0 on an actuatorcam 42 fast on the main cam shaft of the machine. The linger 38'ispivotally carried by a stud li in the end of the lever 34, thearrangement being such that the finger 38 may be swung to the right,from the position shown in Fig. 1, to remove it from the path ofmovement of the toes 40, thus rendering the actuator cam 42 inoperativeon the cutter holders. A spring i5 causes the lever 3st to move finger38 into the path of movement of the toes on the actuator cam 42 whenthat finger is in operative position. The parts hereinbefore describedconstitute in themselves no part of the present invention, beingsubstantially as shown and described in the patent to Gasgrain No.($91,354.

It has been customary in setting the cutters in their holders to swingthe finger 38 about the stud 44 into operative relation to the actuatorcam 42, and then to turn the actuator cam by hand into a position inwhich the finger 38 is not quite at the highest part of one of thetoesetO, the distance of the finger 38 from the highest part of the toebeing such as to compensate, in

the judgment of the operator, for the spring 7 of the operatingconnections to the cutter holders in the operation of cutting afastening from the wire. In this position of the parts, the cutters areplaced in their holders with their cutting edges'in contact.

In the present embodiment of the invention, there is pivoted on the studat a bellcrank lever 46, one arm as ofwhich has on'its end a face 50which, when the bellcranklever is swung by a pressure of the operatorsfinger on a finger piece 52 on its other arm, bears on the concentricpart of the cam 42 and forces the lQNGI 3d about its fulcrum to anextent less than its move ment by the toes 40 in the operation ofcuttingthe wire by an amount corresponding to the spring of the parts ofthe operating connections to the cutter holders 6 and 8.

The stud 44'has a head 54 projecting beyond the surface of thebell-crank lever 46, and a spring'56 fast on the belhcranklever 46 bearson the head, creating friction tending to hold the bell-crank lever inany position to which it may be turned on the stud lei. The bell-cranklever 46 is moved out of operative position when the machine" is startedup in consequence of the friction between the face 50 of the arm Q8 andthe concentric face of the actuator cam 42, the latter in its movementswinging the bell crank lever about the stud 441 The arm 48 ofthebell-crank lever 46 is cut away at 58 so as to allow the face-5O tobe passed between a reduced part 60 of the finger 3S and the face of thecam when the finger 38: isin operative position. The head 54 of the stud44; is also provided with. shoulders 62, with which the spring 56contacts, thus serving as limiting stops for the movement of the leverd6 into its operative and inoperative positions.

In the useof the invention, when it is desired to install cutters in thecutter holders 6 and 8, the operator merely moves the bell crank lever46 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 to that shown indotted lines, and then places the cutters in the holders with theircutting edges in contact. It will be apparent that by the use of theinvention, the cutters may be set in their holders without the necessityof swinging the finger 38 to operative position with relation to thetoes 40 of the actuator cam IE2 or of turning the actuator cam.Moreover, the exercise of judgmenton the part of the operator in settingthe cutters is obviated, since lever 48 acts as a gage, thus insuringthat the cutters will always be set in proper positions.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desiretosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

.1. In a. machine of the class. described,

ism arranged'to locate the elements whilethe machine is at rest in therelative po sitions occupied .by them at the completion of aseveringoperation.

2. In a.machine of the. class described, mechanism for severingfastcnings from fastening stock comprising relatively movable parts,power-operated means for moving said parts to sever fastenings, andmanually operable means for moving said parts to severing position. v

8. In a machine of the class described, cutting mechanism comprisingelements movable relatively to each other to permit fastening stock tobe introduced between them and to sever. individual fasteningstherefrom, means for operating the elements to severing .positioncomprising an actuator, andan operator-controlled device arranged forengagement with the actuator when the maclnne is. at rest to move theelements to.

severing position.

l. In a machine of the class described, mechanism for severingfastenings from fastening stock comprising elements adapted to occupypredetermined relative positions at the end of a severing operation,means for automatically effecting relative movement of the elements topermit the fastening stock to beintroduced between them. and to severthe stock, and operator-controlled means constructed, when renderedoperative,'to ct? fect invariable relative movement of said. elementsto. place them in. the relative positions occupied by them at thecompletion of asevering operation.

In a'machine of the class describe-d, cutting mechanism comprisingelements movable relatively to each other to permit stock to beintroduced between them and to sever the stock, means for operating saidelements so constructed as to spring in the performance of a severingoperation, and means for moving the elements while the machine is atrest to the relative positions occupied by them atthe completion of asevering operation to facilitate setting the cutting mechanism, saidmeans being constructed to compensate for the spring of the operatingmeans, v V

6. Ina machineof the class described, cutting mechanism comprisingelements movable relatively to each other in the perform ance of acutting operation, operating means for the elements including a membermovable to impart movement to the elements, the. movement of said memberin the per' formance of a cutting operation being proportionally greaterthan that of the ele-.

ments by reason of the spring of theoperating means, and means formoving. the elements while the machine is at rest to the positionoccupied by. them at the end of a cut ting operation. I

7. The combination with fastening inserting mechanism comprising acutter, a cutterjholder in which the cutter is adjustable, and means foroperating the cutter holder, of a member arranged for manipulation bythe operator and constructed when actuated by the operator invariably tomove the cutter holder to the position which it occupies at the end of acutting operation so as to facilitate the adjustment of the cutter inthe holder.

8.. In a machine of the class described,

cutting mechanism comprising a cutter, a

cutter holder, means for automatically moving the cutter holder to,cause the cutter to.

perform a cutting operation, and manually operable means for reproducingthe movement of the cutter holder while the machine I is at rest tovfacilitate the setting of the cutter in its holder.

.9. In a machine ofthe class described, cutting mechanism comprising acutter, :a' cutter holder, operating means for the cutter.

the spring of the parts of the operating means, and means formo'vingsaid member when the machlne is at rest to an extent less than itmovement in the performance of a;

cutting operation by an amount corresponding to the spring of saidparts.

10. In a machine of the class described, a.

cutter, a cutter holder, operating means for the cutter holder includinga movable member and an actuator for automatically moving the member,and operator'controlled means carried by the member for moving it whilethe machine is at rest to impart to the" holdera movement of likecharacter to that imparted to it by the. actuator in the performance ofa cutting operation.

11. In a machine of the class described, a

cutter, a cutter holder movable to a predetermined position in theperformance of a cutting operation, operating means for the cutterholder comprising a lever and an actuator for the lever, and a' membermov- I.

ably mounted on the lever and operable 'on the actuator to move thecutter holder to said position when the machine is idle to;

facilitate setting'the cutter inthe holder.

12. In a machine of the class described, a 1

cutter, a cutter holder movable to a predetermined position in theperformance of a cutting operation, operating means for the holdercomprising a lever and a rotar cylindricalactuator having projections onits periphery for actuating the lever, and a member movably mounted onthe lever and arranged for engagement with the periphery of the actuatorto move the cutter holder to said position when the machine is idle tofacilitate setting the cutter in the holder.

13. In a machine of the class described, a cutter, a cutter holdermovable to a predetermined position in the performance of a cuttingoperation, operating means for the holder comprising a lever and arotary cylindrical actuator having projections on its periphery foractuating the lever, and a member movably mounted on the lever forengagement with the periphery of the actuator to move the cutter holderto said position when the machine is idle'to facilitate setting thecutter in the holder, said member ment. with the periphery of theactuator to move the cutter holder to said position when the machine isidleto facilitate setting the cutter in the holder and means fornormally maintaining the member in opera t-ive or inoperative positionsrelatively to the actuator constructed to pern'rit'the mem- .ber to bemoved out of engagement with the actuator upon movement of the actuator.15. In a machine of the class described, a cutter, a cutter holdermovable to a predetermined position in the performance ol a cuttingoperation, means for automatically operating the holder, and means forman ually moving the holder to said position while the machine is atrest and retaining it in said position, constructed to berenderedinoperative by operation of the machine.

. 16. In a machine of the class described. a cutter, a cutter holdermovable to a predetermined posit-ion in the performance "of a cuttingoperation, operating means for the holder comprising a movable memberand an actuator for moving the member, and a bell-crank lever rotatablymounted on the member and arranged to move it to an extent less than itis moved by the actuator by 12111113110111) corresponding to the springof the operating means, said bell-crank being formed with a finger pieceto facilitate its manipulation by the operator.

17. In a machineof the class described, mechanism for severingfastenings from fastening stock, operating means for the severingmechanism, and operator controlled means for moving the severingmechanism without affecting-the operative relations of the various partsof the operating means. i a

18. In a machine of the class described, 7

cutting mechanism comprising elements movable relatively to each otherto permit fastening stock to be introduced between them and to severindividual fastenings therefrom, means for moving the elements tosevering position comprising an actuator member and a co-operatingmember operablystock to beintroduced between tliemandto severfastening-s therefrom, means for moving the cutters to severing positioncomprisingan actuator and a lever operated thereby and connected to thecutting mechanism, and a manually shift-able lever arranged by itsmovement to move the ac-tua tor opera-ted lever'into position, when themachine is at rest, to move'the cutter holders to severing 1 osition.

20. In a mac ine of the classdesc'ribed, a cutter, a cutter holder,operating means for the cutter holder comprising a lever and anactuatorfor the lever operable to move the cutter holder to apredetermined position in the performance of the cutting operations, anda second lever operable to move the cutter holder to saidpredetermined'position when the machine is at rest to facilitate settingthe cutters in the hold ers.

21. That method of adjusting co-operating tools of amachine whichcomprises intro-' ducing a gage between relatively movable parts of amachine in such a manner as to hold the tool holders in the positionwhich they should occupy at the conclusion of an operation and securingthe tools to the holders in operative relation while the holders areheld in that position. 7

22. That "method of setting the cutting mechanism of a machine whichcomprises bringing a gage member into position between a movable portionof the cutter ac tuating mechanism and a part of the machine whichoccupies a fixed position so as to bring the cutter holders of themachine into the position which they should occupy at the conclusion ofa cutting operation, and securing the cutters to the holders in correctcutting relation While the holders are so positioned.

23. That method of setting the cutters of a machine which comprisesintroducing a gage between relatively movable parts of the cutteroperating mechanism to bring the cutter holders into the position whichthey should occupy at the conclusion of a cutting operation and securingthe cutters to the holders in cutting relation While the cutters arethus held in that position.

24. That method of setting the cutting mechanism of a machine whichcomprises bringing a gage member into position between a movable portionof the cutter actuating mechanism and a part of the machine whichoccupies a fixed position so as to bring the cutter holders of themachine into the position which they should occupy at the conclusion ofa cutting operation, and securing the cutters to the holders With theircutting edges in contacting relation while the holders are sopositioned.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

FRED RIOKS, ALBERT AMOS ASTON.

